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Sept. 2 1924. v

G. W. GOODRIDGE LAMP SOCKET Filed Oct. 14 i922 ZNVENTOR GILBERT N Gavan/11ers 12y A TTOR 51 Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GILBER]? W. GOODRIDGE, F FAIRIFIELD, CONNECTICUT, .ASFJIGNOR T0 THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, 01* BRIDGEPO'RT, CONNECCEICUT'E, CORPORATIUN OF CLEM- INEGTICUJF.

LAM? SOCKET.

Application filed October 14, 1922.

be varied in accordance with the l: 'th of the candlelight casing which i oillls an element oi an electric candle the ture.

in the accompanying drawing Fl" 1 is a vertical section through an candle fixture in which my invention is embodied in one form;

2 a side elevation of the socket supporting standard viewed at r to Fig. l;

l. i brolren front elevation oi portion ot the standard drawn to a larger scale;

and

l ig. is a section on the line i, Fig. 3. in an electric fixture of the candle type, the lead wires are generally carried to the lamp socltet tl'uiough a conduit 5, or the lite, provided with a threaded end 6 to which the. SOClit-jt fitting is secured.

In form shown the cup 7 on which the 'l" :-lil :te casing 8 rests is engaged be .in a loch: nut or bushin 9 and the nip 1.0 at the lower end of the standard unich carries the lamp soclre't. Casings 7 S not of uniform length or but vary within fairly wide limits meet the tastes of ditlerent architects maimfacturers. it is advisable there- LQPE to make the socket-supporting standadjustable to accommodate the posioi the socket to the length of the eass. Various devices for this purpose heretofore suggested, but for the have proved not altogether satisicto y in practice by reason of the difficulty oi adjustment or the instability of the letter after it is made. The present invention provides an improved adjustable stand-- are; oi this general type Serial No. 594,551.

While my invention may be embodied in variously difl'ering specific forms, I have illustrated a construction which is practical and etlicient. As here shown, the standard comprises upper and lower lengths l1 and 12, preferably in the form of straps struck from sheet metal. The lower section 11 is secured in any suitable way to the nipple 10, as for instance by offsetting therefrom a foot piece 13 pierced to receive the shouldered upper end of the nipple 10, the margin of which is staked over the foot. piece to permanently secure the parts together. The upper end oi" section l2 of the standard is preferably divided and spread to afford a pair of legs 14; and 15, which are secured to the lower face of the socket body 16 by means of screws 1'7, and are so spaced apart that they straddle the wire passagevvaw 18the socket shown being of the type indicated in the patent to Burton No. 1,246,673, dated November 6, 1.917. inasmuch the details of the socket do not enter into the present invention, they are not described.

The adjustment of the upper and lower sections of *the standard with respect to each other, is eti'ected by means of a rack and pinion device. To this end the upper section 12 is longitudinally slotted at 19, one side of the slot being notched to form the teeth 20 of a rack. .lhe lower section ll has journalled therein a stud 21 ing through the slot 19 and carrying on its squared area 22 a pinion 23 meshing with the raclr 20. One end of the stud 21 is provided with a. head slotted at 25 to re ceive a screw driver. other end is spread at 26 above a strong spring washer 27 which is constantly under relatively heavy stress. inasmuch as aflat washer 28, straddling the slot 18 and bearing against the face oi the section 1.2 on opposite sides of the slot 19, is located beneath the head 24: of the stud 21, the spring 27 serves to hold the parts assembled with a friction grip sufficient to prevent accidental displacement of the two sections 11 and 12 of the standard by gravity, or under the influence of vibration to which the fitting may be subjected. At the same time, the stress of the washer is not so great that the stud may not be rotated by a screw driver, and the section 1% oi? the standard thus dis I drag on the pinion 23.

placed with respect to the section 11 through the rack and pinion engagement between the parts, and the spacing of the socket from the attaching nipple thus varied. in order to guide the sections with respect to each other, and to hold them in alignment, one or the other of the sections, here section 11, is provided with lateral flanges 29 which embrace the margins of section 12.

The construction is simple and effective for its purpose. It will be noted that the spring 27 not only holds the two sections 11 and 12 of the standard in frictional engagement, but also that it exerts a frictional Inasmuch as the latter has a positive engagement with the rack 20, the friction between the sections is augmented by the frictional drag on the pinion. The sections are thus held very firmly against unintentional relative displacement-but may be readily adjusted by meansof a screw driver. It may be pointed out, moreover, that this frictional engagement between the parts is constant, owing to the fact that the spring is under constant stress-and there is no danger of slippage through the loosening of set screws or the like. The standard is readily manufactured from sheet metal parts, with the exception of the stud 21, which may itself be readily shaped from lengths of rod. The details of construction may be varied without departing from the underlying thoughts which will be apparent from the foregoing, and which I claim as my invention.

I claim 1. An electric lamp socket and a supporting standard therefor, comprising a pair of relatively displaceable members, one of which carries the socket, and the other of which adapted to be mounted on a support, a rack and pinion connection between said members for relatively displacing the same, and constantly acting friction means for holding the members in the relative positions to which they are thus adjusted.

2. An electric lamp socket and a supporting standard therefor, comprising a pair of relatively displaceable members, one of which carries the socket, and the other of which is adapted to be mounted on a support, a rack and pinion connection between said members for relatively displacing the same, and spring means for holding the members in the relative positions to which they are thus adjusted.

3. An electric lamp socket and a supporting standard therefor, comprising a pair of relatively displaceable members, one of which carries the socket, and the other of which is adapted to be mounted on a support, a rack and pinion connection between said members for relatively displacing the same, and a spring exerting a constant drag on the pinion to prevent rotation.

l. An electric lamp socket and a support ing standard therefor, comprising a pair of relatively displaceable members, one of which carries the socket, and the other of which is adapted to be mounted on a support, a constant positive engagement between said members and yielding means tending to maintain said engagement.

5. An electric lamp socket and a supporting standard therefor, comprising a pair of relatively displaceable members, one of which carries the socket, and the other of which is adapted to be mounted on a support, and spring means tending constantly to maintain said members in adjusted position, together with cooperating gear elements carried by the respective members and constantly intermeshing, one of said gear members being rotatable and subject to the drag of said spring means.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GILBERT W. GOODRIDGE. 

